RAIN & Chickens: beginners build a coop & need your help

[cptbahama]

The coop you described are almost exactly the dimensions and style of mine. Except I went 6 x 12 instead of 5 x 10. There are a bunch of pics on my page to see how mine is turning out (almost finished).

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Quote:
Yes, I think 4 x 5 would have been better, or even 4 X 6 (you never know if you might want to add a couple more) with the run being 6 X 12 (That includes the part of the run under the coop. I can't remember off-hand the height, but I have plenty of head room on both sides (I'm 5' 7"). My partner is 6' and doesn't have to bend over.

The only time it has ever gotten wet inside is when there was some driving, sideways type rain, and that is really pretty rare and it didn't get very wet, even then.

Edited to say: I would have created a little more ventilation, perhaps, but have had no problems. The roof is plywood covered by roofing paper, covered by salvaged metal roofing.

 

[Jillian]

Quote:
I'd like to chime in on the cedar issue, if I may. This comes up a lot in purple martin, bluebird, parrot, and rodent communities.

Here's the summary of extensive research through the net over the years, examining the claims of people regarding the toxicity of cedar and the studies they quoted (which I read in full because I'm obsessive like that

).

First, and most importantly, BOTH pine and cedar shavings contain acids that can irritate the respiratory system. If you are going by the actual research, PINE is actually more harmful than cedar.

All the research papers quoted regarding humans and respiratory diseases from pine/cedar have been occupational exposure to the fine dust produced by timberworkers and sawmill workers.

In rats, studies have shown that wood shavings are not inert and can cause immune response and changes in liver functioning, and therefore changes in the absorption rates and activity of drugs introduced to the system. Pine being the least inert (meaning affects the systems to the greatest degree).

All these studies are done on dust or shavings, not on lumber itself.

***
http://www.trifl.org/cedar.shtml
http://audubon-omaha.org/bestofbbml/boxesc2.htm
http://www.wood-database.com/wood-articles/wood-dust-safety/
http://www.ratfanclub.org/litters.html
http://www.bestfriends.org/archives/forums/031405pocket.html#six
http://www.kindplanet.org/scifacts.pdf
***

If anyone can find this study, I would really really like to read it! Everyone quotes it saying the broilers had higher respiratory infection rates when on pine litter. I'm guessing they were enclosed the entire time in a building but I would like to read this to see the details of this as it is the only chicken study on this matter I see referenced.
Seegar, K.C. Tomhave, A.E. and Lucas, W.C. (1951) A comparison of litters used for broiler production. Delaware Agric. Exp. Stn., Bulletin, 289


My experience: As a parrot owner with previous ties to the breeding community, the reason I will not use cedar shavings in nestboxes is because they are hard on delicate birdie skin. I wouldn't use it for rodents for the same reason, it's hard on the burrowing little noses. The only bedding I have seen rodents react badly to is aspen- several gerbils had a severe allergic reaction. The birds I have seen or heard of dying from any litter/substrate were ones that ingested a great deal of it. The only animals I have seen with cedar bedding and respiratory diseases are cases where people didn't clean the cages often- after all they still 'smelled nice'. No, I've never had a necropsy done on any of my animals and I can't tell you if the liver enzymes were abnormal or if they had liver disease (breeder birds had pine shavings in nestboxes).

I can't tell you if the shavings were harming my animals. What I can tell you is that people who feel strongly that cedar is toxic need to check the research since pine is just (if not more so) as toxic.

 

[Gospel_Bird_house]

Thanks for that info. I just built my coop with treated lumber and slatted it with cedar boards and was close to telling my wife that we were going to have to start over. I did it because a friend of mine did his that way and his works fine. Glad you posted.

 

[aftonator]

Here's a question about cedar:
My coop will be built from cedar lumber. Will cedar lumber repel rats??